Product Description

Amazing all-in-one digital microscope takes scientific inquiry to a new level—yet is easy for even a young child to use. Hold the hand-friendly scope over an object, turn the top to focus, then press the single control button to take videos or still images up to 43x magnification. Supports students as they record observations and investigations. Great for lab reports, presentations and authentic assessment for digital portfolios. Sharply detailed images enrich whole-class and individual explorations. Use with your computer, projector or interactive whiteboard. Grades PreK–12

Facilitates scientific observation via high-interest visuals

Plugs into computer to display/demonstrate magnified images

Allows students to record and describe their investigations and inquiries

It's important to us that you are 100% satisfied with your purchase from Learning Resources. If you are not satisfied with your recent purchase, simply return it to us within 90 days of purchase in unopened or original condition (excludes clearance items) and we will gladly replace it or issue a full refund. The choice is yours. Read more

Life Science has always been one of my favorite topics and as a former Science teacher, I want to make sure that I pass on my love of the subject to Riley. Now I...Read complete review

Life Science has always been one of my favorite topics and as a former Science teacher, I want to make sure that I pass on my love of the subject to Riley. Now I may be a little biased in this opinion, but I don't think that the importance of Science can be stressed to children enough. It is a subject which utilizes reading, writing, mathematics, deductive reasoning and creative thinking and teaches us the way our world works. I love getting out in the backyard with Riley and examining every leaf, rock, insect and spider we come across. Thanks to Learning Resources and the Zoomy Handheld Digital Microscope, we can study our findings in a whole new way. Keep reading to find out why this is a scientific tool no child should be without!

I can recall when I was about 10 years old, I received my first microscope, which was a very bulky contraption that needed slides, cover slips, an electrical source or the sun for the microscope's light. It was also extremely hard to get the specimen in focus and then, there was no way to capture what you saw to share with others or keep for yourself.Boy, how technology has changed the way we do things! The Zoomy Handheld Digital Microscope is the easiest microscope to use and is even recommended for children ages 3-18. Imagine that...a 3 year old operating a microscope! All that's necessary is a laptop or computer which contains a CD-ROM and USB port, so that you can upload the imaging software and plug the Zoomy directly in.

The Zoomy also comes with two adapters for face/scalp and nose/ears. These adapters snap on the end of the Zoomy and allow you to put the microscope directly on your own skin or hair, without damaging the lens in any way. Notice from the first picture below, how every freckle, hair and even the texture of my arm's skin are seen perfectly using the Zoomy.I also love the compactness of the Zoomy as well as how it contains its own LED light source and requires no batteries whatsoever. This device runs completely off your own computer's power and is so small and lightweight, that it could be tossed in your laptop bag for scientific discoveries on the go. As a matter of fact, if you are using the Zoomy along with a laptop, then you can examine anything interesting you come across right then and there. That's how Riley and I came to discover our backyard in much greater detail. We plopped down on our bellies with my laptop and the Zoomy and studied everything we could find. Just check out our up-close pictures of a seashell, plant's stem and leaves and a piece of bark.

The Zoomy offers 35-53X magnification and focusing this microscope is super simple. All you have to do is slowly twist the top section of the Zoomy back and forth until the item pops into focus. The high-resolution images displayed on your computer screen are crystal clear and capturing your discoveries is as simple as clicking the silver button on the top of the Zoomy. I was able to take the four pictures you see above in a matter of minutes and couldn't get over how quick and easy this was to do.I think that Learning Resources has hit a home run with the Zoomy Digital Handheld Microscope for it works well with almost any computer...simply plug and play. You will need to install the microscope's software, which is contained on a smaller CD, so if you happen to have a CD-ROM drive which doesn't open up but rather requires the disc to slide directly in, you won't be able to use this smaller disk. In this case, you can install the software directly from Learning Resources site using this link.This microscope also works well with projectors or even interactive whiteboards, making it the perfect classroom tool too! I wish I would have had one of these when I was still teaching, for I know that this would have brought new life and interest to our lessons and a way to share fascinating finds with the entire class. I can't recommend the Zoomy Digital Handheld Microscope from Learning Resources enough! A device that encourages hands-on investigations and scientific inquiry which can be used with children ages 3 to 18? Now that's money time and money well spent!

I received the Zoomy Handheld Digital Microscope from Learning Resources in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. This product review is based on my own personal experiences with this item and is completely honest and objective.

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Most Liked Negative Review

Use Photo Booth software to make it work

Making it work in a Mac:

The 3"-diameter software disk does not fit in an iMac (OS X, v 10.6.8) so I downloaded the software from the Learning...Read complete review

Making it work in a Mac:

The 3"-diameter software disk does not fit in an iMac (OS X, v 10.6.8) so I downloaded the software from the Learning Resources site, as indicated in the instructions. There are two choices for Mac software. I picked version 3.1.03 to match the product number.

However, I could not make the microscope work with the Digital Viewer software. All I saw was a black screen, even when made sure I set the Device to USB 2.0 Camera under Settings...Device Setup.

After reading the reviews on this site I tried using Photo Booth. I changed the input (under the Camera pull menu) to USB 2.0 Camera. Finally, the image displayed in the PhotoBooth window.

USE:

The image quality is nice and the unit is easy to hold in ones hand. Similar products do the same thing.

I wouldn't recommend this product for Mac users until the company offers software that is suitable, or explains how to use the existing software. In the year 2013, when everything is plug-and-play, there is no excuse for not making a product easy to use, right out of the box.

Perhaps another reviewer will explain how to make the Digital Viewer software work.

After reading reviews that reported problems with the Mac, I just opened Photo Booth on my Mac Air, connected the Zoomy USB and it is wonderful! Clear resolution for photos and even video.Great choice!

After being unsure about how well it will run on a mac, it is just plug in and use without even needing any installing! Go to photo booth, then 'camera' and select the USB one... then voila, good to go!

We have used this device for several years in an aerospace quality control environment for photographing printed circuit boards and small parts such as ball bearing assemblies of less than 1/8" in diameter. The software is easy to download and install. Usage is "point and shoot". Magnification is larger if as you get closer. Exposure is adjusted automatically.We reach for this unit before our $6000 dollar PC based microscope at 40X.

I was frustrated at first because the software wouldn't open on my Mac (using Mavericks). It said it wouldn't open because it came from an "unidentified developer." But then I just opened Photo Booth based on other comments and I didn't need anything else. I just plugged in the zoomy, selected the USB option under the Camera menu and up popped the image. You can even take photos using the Photo Booth software (but not using the button on the zoomy).

One thing that other people may not miss but I did is that you focus by twisting the top third of the "egg." I was trying to focus at first by twisting the little silver camera button.

Despite the claims on the package, does NOT work with Mac. I tried the workarounds (iPhoto, Photo Booth) I've seen in reviews, but I can't get the computer to even recognize that the microscope is attached. I wasn't expecting anything phenomenal, but I was expecting the thing to actually work. Here's hoping that the store will give me my money back.

The ability to allow a group of students (young or old) to view a magnified object leads to an eruption of group discussion. It's also great for the individual.I just got this today so after reading a number of complaints regarding its use with a Mac, as the tech specialist in an elementary school which uses both Macs and PCs, I decided to immediately check it out.Small hiccup with both but easily rectified. The PC gave me a black screen when I first tried but I went to Settings within Digital Viewer, selected Device, selected USB 2.0 Camera, quit the program and started it again. Voila! Basically the same with the Mac. It defaulted to the iSight camera but once I made the change the Zoomy worked. Yes, you do have to download the software. Just be sure you download the correct version.A few minor hiccups warrants a 4 but definitely nothing less. Of course, only time will tell about durability. I taught math and science for 30 years. I wouldn't hesitate to add this tool to my lab.

The Microscope is VERY easy to use and works fine on Mac OS X 10.9 and Windows 8. Just download the Zoomy software, plug in the 'scope and off you go!

On the plus side, the Zoomy is very easy for young kids to use and the shutter button is easy for them to operate. The images are surprisingly good given the low-res 640x480 sensor. The focus adjustments are easy to make and the design means that focus doesn't drift or change easily, which is really important.

The only thing we really don't like is that there is no way to adjust or disable the LED lights. We found that some bugs move away from the bright lights. Additionally, it would be really great if the Zoomy had a tripod mount. We think pairing the Zoomy with a GorillaPod flexible tripod would really open up some new possibilities!

All in all, the Zoomy is a really great microscope, designed for kids in a way that appeals to them. With a couple more features, it could be nearly perfect.

I would love to see a Bluetooth version come along and introduce Zoomy to iOS devices. This thing is begging to be freed from the cable.